British power plants are already shipping wood from Canada, Brazil, Scandinavia and South Korea. Just one of the new biomass plants at Port Talbot, South Wales, will consume THREE MILLION TONNES OF WOOD PER YEAR — equivalent to 30 per cent of the UK's domestic annual wood harvest of ten million tonnes.

But the plant, which is due to open in 2012, will generate only 300 megawatt hours of electricity, or about 0.4 per cent of the UK's current power-generating capacity. At least four more 300-megawatt plants are planned, including three in Yorkshire that have been proposed by Drax, operator of Britain's largest coal-fired power station. Another company, MGT, plans to build one on Teesside.

A spokesman for Prenergy, which is behind the Port Talbot plant, said 90 per cent of its wood supplies would be imported, although he insisted that all of it would be sourced from proven sustainable sources. Nevertheless, environmental campaigners have raised concerns about the carbon emissions involved in shipping the wood such large distances, while to meet UK pest control laws the timber will need to be baked before it can be shipped to the UK.

Natural fuel Facts - 1% The amount of UK energy consumption from biomass

744 sq miles - The size of forest needed for UK wood-fuelled power station growth in next three years

50% The rise in carbon discharges caused by long-distance transport and burning of wood over burning coal

30 years The time new trees need to absorb the equivalent amount of carbon released by cutting down and burning wood for fuel

Researchers tested urine samples from mothers in the 28th week of pregnancy for traces of phthalates, chemicals which can mimic the female sex hormone oestrogen. The women, who gave birth to 74 boys and 71 girls were contacted again when their children were aged between four and seven and were asked about their personalities, the toys they played with and the activities they liked.

The study, by the University of Rochester in New York State, found that TWO TYPES OF PHTHALATE – DEHP AND DBP – WERE STRONGLY LINKED WITH THE MORE FEMININE PLAY IN THE BOYS but had no impact on girls. Boys with higher doses were less likely to play with cars, trains and guns and preferred "GENDER NEUTRAL" activities such as sports, according to the research published in the International Journal of Andrology.

The research adds to growing evidence that HORMONE-DISRUPTING CHEMICALS IN THOUSANDS OF HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS are interfering with the development of children. Although the plastics industry says phthalates are safe, the EU has banned many of them from cosmetics, teething rings and children's toys. However, pregnant women are still exposed to the chemicals, which are USED TO SOFTEN PLASTICS, in household items such as plastic furniture, shoes and PVC flooring.

MILITARY SPENDING BY REGION, 2008
Americas - $603bn
Europe - $320bn
Africa - $20.4bn
Midle East - $75.6bn
Asia & Oceania - $206bn

In 2008, a record 187,586 people were deployed on peacekeeping missions, an 11% rise over 2007. Military forces accounted for 166,146 of the personnel deployed. Most of the missions were deployed in Africa, including in DR Congo and in Darfur, Sudan, but the largest single peace operation was in Afghanistan.

The sharp rise in global military spending has benefited the defence industry. In total, the 100 leading defence manufacturers sold arms worth $347bn during 2007, the most recent year for which reliable data are available. Since 2002, the value of the top 100 arms sales has increased by 37% in real terms, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri).

STEPHEN SCOTT, DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY FOR PARENTING PRACTITIONERS, has said his research shows children from lesbian couples do better in life than the offspring of heterosexual couples. "Lesbians make better parents than a man and a women," Mr Scott told a meeting for the launch of think tank Demos. His controversial position draws backing from research that suggests children with two female parents are more aspirational than those with opposite-sex parents.

Some studies also show children with lesbian parents are no more or less likely to have tendencies towards homosexuality. Research at Birkbeck College, part of London University, and Clark University in Massachusetts suggests that same-sex couples make good parents because children cannot be conceived accidentally - parents must make an active decision to adopt or find a sperm donor.

However, campaigners counter that fathers play an important part in family life and children have a right to get to know both of their biological parents. According to the annual British Social Attitudes Report, MORE THAN A THIRD OF PEOPLE NOW BELIEVE SAME-SEX PARENTS ARE AS GOOD AS HETEROSEXUAL COUPLES.

Monday, at a conference focusing on the consequences of the GDR's collapse, Angela Merkel declared that THE UNITED STATES MUST BE PREPARED TO SUBORDINATE ITSELF TO MULTINATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, because without "MORE MULTINATIONAL COOPERATION" this will "NOT BE A PEACEFUL WORLD". Merkel's remarks reflect GERMANY'S DRIVE, OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS, TO BREAK US HEGEMONY AND ITSELF BECOME A WORLD POWER. Berlin has significantly increased its power, with its persistent expansionist policy over the past few years - also through military means.

Just last week a US journal published reflections on Germany, which has continued to grow "more powerful, more influential and more dominant than ever before." Thanks to Angela Merkel, this has not led to "RISING ANXIETY AND MUMBLING ABOUT THE FOURTH REICH," explains the journal. Her personal manner provokes "no jealousy or competitiveness among the alpha males who run large countries" and she inspires "no fear among the citizens of smaller ones."

Merkel speaks constantly of "friendship," after which "she returns home and works to make Germany stronger and more dominant in the region. And everyone smiles." This explanation overlooks the ties, with WHICH GERMANY BINDS EU STATES TO ITSELF, making open criticism nearly impossible. But it does show the obvious irritations that are beginning to spread in the US establishment over THE GERMAN CHALLENGE.

The clog had idled the $260,000 harvester, another delay in what has been the harvest from hell across the USA's Midwest corn and soybean belt. The clock is ticking on farmers like the Pierce brothers all across the Midwest as they scramble to bring in the largest US soybean crop on record and the second-largest corn crop before winter arrives.

LATE-MATURING CROPS AND PERSISTENT RAIN THROUGHOUT OCTOBER HALTED FIELDWORK, making this the slowest start for the US harvest since the 1970s. The delays - and questions about crop quality - have kept Chicago Board of Trade grain markets on the boil. "Just look at the price of corn from October to now. The delayed harvest has had a bullish impact on prices," said Terry Reilly, an agricultural analyst with Citigroup.

CBOT corn futures are up about 15 percent since October 1. CBOT soybeans, already supported by strong export demand from China, are up about 7 percent. THE UNITED STATES PRODUCES 40 PERCENT OF THE GLOBAL CORN CROP AND 35 PERCENT OF ALL SOYBEANS, and is the leading exporter of both commodities. In a normal year, farmers would be nearly finished harvesting the two primary crops, which help feed people across the globe, from Europe to Asia to Africa. By November 1, US farmers had brought in only half the soybean crop and one-quarter of the corn, well below the five-year averages of 87 percent and 71 percent, respectively.

Intel, the world's biggest maker of computer chips, ringed its offices with barbed wire before the protest. There were no reports of violence. Ultra-Orthodox Jews have recently held a series of such protests in Israel. More than 1,000 people took part in Saturday's rally.

It was staged after talks between Intel and Jerusalem's ultra-Orthodox Jewish community broke down earlier this week. Intel has been operating on Saturdays for years - and the company defends the policy. "We have always worked according to the company's needs. IF THE NEEDS CALL FOR IT, WE WORK ON THE SABBATH AS WELL," Intel Israel spokesman Kobi Becker told Israel's Ynet website.

Israel's ultra-Orthodox Jews have become increasingly militant in recent months in their attempts to enforce a Saturday work ban. They have held regular protests against the opening of a Jerusalem car park on the Jewish Sabbath.

Under current plans, the targets will not be met until 2100, it argues. The Department of Energy and Climate Change accused the institution of having a "can't do, won't do attitude". The Institute also called for a major investment in geo-engineering.

It is calling for a "war" on climate change with a beefed up government department in charge. It could also mean the introduction of SOME FORM OF CARBON "RATIONING" FOR INDIVIDUALS to make people aware of how much energy they are consuming. The UK's Climate Change Act passed into law in 2008, putting a legal imperative on the government to cut emissions by 80% of their 1990 levels by 2050, with a mid-term target of 34% cuts by 2020.

But the report investigates how practical these targets are to reach and concludes that they cannot be met with the current approaches to cutting carbon. They would not, in fact, be reached until the year 2100.

But the group dropped a target to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, which was outlined in an earlier draft. Leaders also vowed to pursue A NEW STRATEGY FOR GROWTH AFTER THE WORLD'S WORST ECONOMIC CRISIS IN DECADES. They resolved to conclude the Doha round of global trade talks in 2010.

In a joint declaration issued at the end of their two-day annual summit, they said: "WE FIRMLY REJECT ALL FORMS OF PROTECTIONISM and reaffirm our commitment to keep markets open and refrain from raising new barriers to investment or to trade in goods and services." They also agreed TO KEEP STIMULUS SPENDING IN PLACE until a recovery was seen.

But leaders have failed to agree a target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum. Officials said the leaders - including presidents Barack Obama of the US and Hu Jintao of China - NOW VIEWED THE COPENHAGEN SUMMIT AS A "STAGING POST", AND NOT AN END POINT, in the search for a global deal to cut emissions of greenhouse gases.

The culture should change, with no rewards for practices which had brought the banking system down, he said. The Financial Services Bill will be part of the Queen's speech this week. In it the government will outline its remaining legislation between now and the general election in 2010.

A spokesman said: "The real issue that they have not addressed is that the tri-partite system of banking regulation has failed and we need to put the Bank of England in charge of regulation. THERE IS A GROWING INTERNATIONAL CONSENSUS THAT IT IS RIGHT TO HAVE CENTRAL BANKS IN CHARGE OF REGULATION."

Mr Brown also said Britain had a "bright future" ahead of it after the economic difficulties of the past year, predicting a coming period "not of austerity but progress". Mr Brown said: "We will ensure that the banking crisis we have experienced over the last two years should never again come at a cost to the taxpayer."

A pilot screening programme, which is expected to be extended across the country if it is a success, will target gay men and black Africans who have a higher than average chance of carrying HIV. The pilot, to be held at GPs' surgeries and hospitals in Leicester, in Brighton, where there is a large gay population, and in Lewisham, southeast London, which has a large black African community, will begin in the next few weeks.

Health workers are concerned that some HIV sufferers are infecting multiple sexual partners without knowing they have the virus. If left untreated, HIV — which has few symptoms — can turn into Aids. Testing is carried out mainly in sexual health clinics at the instigation of the patient. But ministers want it to become more routine and to be subject to an opt-out for those who do not want to be tested.

The Terrence Higgins Trust, which raises awareness about HIV, said a targeted screening programme would lead to lives being saved. There are believed to be 77,000 people living with HIV in the UK. More than 25,000 people have developed Aids and 18,787 have died.

It also intends to retire the majority of its Harrier and Tornado jets early, leaving it with about 80 fewer aircraft by 2025. The cuts are part of a package prepared for the 2010 annual spending round. They are designed to pre-empt the savage cuts expected as part of the strategic defence review promised by whichever party wins power in next year's general election.

A senior RAF officer said the plans were designed to save "significant amounts of money, measured in billions of pounds a year" rather than having them forced on the service by the review. The RAF has 19 flying stations in the UK, but the reduction in aircraft means up to five are expected to be closed and sold over the next decade.

Communities Secretary John Denham said the co-operation of faith groups played an important role in reducing tensions amid provocation by extremist groups. Events will include football matches that could pitch vicars against imams. A wide range of activities will bring together people from the main religions in England between 15 and 21 November.

According to the 2001 Census, Britain has more than 41m Christians, about 1.5m Muslims, 558,000 Hindus, 336,000 Sikhs, 267,000 Jews and 149,000 Buddhists. Faith groups have been united in the past in accusing the government of marginalising religious values, said the BBC's religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott. MR DENHAM - WHO IS A SECULAR HUMANIST - said £2m would be spent on projects encouraging diverse groups to tackle local problems together.

The Inter Faith Network links faith groups and educational and academic bodies with an interest in inter-faith issues. It includes national faith community representative bodies of Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Zoroastrian religions.

After witnessing THE END OF CIVILISATION IN movies such as Zombieland and Terminator Salvation, we will soon face the big screen adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic Pulitzer prizewinner, The Road, complete with deserted highways, cannibals and heart-breaking reflections on fatherhood. This will be followed closely by Denzel Washington playing a mysterious wanderer among a tiny band of, yes, post-apocalyptic survivors in The Book of Eli, and Dennis Quaid playing an honest man in the American Midwest during the onslaught of the biblical Armageddon in Legion.

Global warming documentaries too, such as The Age of Stupid, repeatedly show us a future in which the Earth is already ruined. EVEN CHILDREN'S FILMS such as the recent 9 and Wall-E, are not averse to the death of humanity as we know it. And it's not just movies either. On television the forthcoming Day One, a high-profile American series in the Lost mould, will follow a group of American apartment dwellers who somehow survive a global cataclysm. Iconic touchstone video games such as the recently released Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 play with apocalyptic imagery, such as the destruction of the White House in a burnt-out bullet-ridden Washington DC.

In books, popular nonfiction prognostications such as The World Without Us, Our Final Century and The Coming Plague continue to ride into the bestseller list BASED ON COGENT SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE END OF LIFE ON EARTH. In other words, when Danny Glover's Obama-style President announces, midway through 2012, "The world as we know it will soon come to an end," he is essentially preaching to the converted. "THERE IS DEFINITELY A LOT IN THE COLLECTIVE CONSCIOUSNESS RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE END OF THE WORLD," the 2012 star Chiwetel Ejiofor says.

"The fragility of the planet, the nature of global warming, the free access to nuclear weapons, financial and scientific responsibility — these are all part of our consciousness. So a movie like 2012, though entertaining and extraordinary in scope, allows us to discuss these things."

It is not just ecological, he says, but profitable, and he believes his system can be replicated in starving regions of the globe.

Nearly 5,000 miles away, in laboratories in St Louis, Missouri, hundreds of scientists at the world's biggest seed company, Monsanto, also want to feed the world, only their tools of choice are laser beams and petri dishes. Monsanto, a leader in agricultural biotechnology, SPENDS ABOUT $2 MILLION A DAY ON SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH that aims to improve on Mother Nature, and is positioning itself as a key player in the fight against hunger.

The Italian farmer and the US multinational represent the two extremes in an increasingly acrimonious debate over the future of food. Oglio said his farm is eco-sustainable. He has slashed operating costs by eliminating expensive commercial products like herbicides and by reducing the use of agricultural machinery to a minimum. Such cheap and low-maintenance farming could be adopted in Africa and other regions hit by poverty and hunger. "NATURAL FARMING WILL NOT SAVE THE WORLD. BUT IT CAN FEED POOR FAMILIES," he said.